OPAL RECEIVES FUNDING BOOST FROM AREA COMMITTEE

OPAL (Older People’s Action in the Locality), the Neighbourhood Network serving the residents of Leeds 16, including Bramhope has received a funding boost of £10,000 from the Outer North West Area Committee agreed at its meeting on Monday 24th September. This will go towards a project that will cost over £75,000 and other sources of funding have been found towards the full amount.

I am very pleased that OPAL have been able to secure this money from the Area Committee. Whilst it is only a proportion of what they need, it helps to attract other match funding towards the project.

OPAL is continuing on its ambitious programme of revamping and redeveloping the former Bedford Arms public house which has been completely changed into the “Welcome In”, headquarters and home of OPAL. The space has been carefully planned to ensure that a number of activities can take place, and also be used by other groups in the area to generate income in order to keep it running.

The money will go towards the next stage of renovation which is to transform the large room at the back of the property into a function room. Currently it has no heating or lighting and the full amount required will cover the costs of installing heating, lighting, new windows, flooring and furnishing the room.

We are very fortunate to have OPAL in our area looking after our older people but also looking at every opportunity to increase the service they can offer by generating income through projects like this which all benefits the whole community locally.